Advent, the season of waiting. From a young age we learn we have to be patient; at times we have to wait for things we want. Sometimes the waiting makes the receiving all the sweeter. Other times we lose hope as we wait; we are tempted to despair.

400 years of silence. God did not speak through His prophets to His people for 400 years. How do you remain hopeful to hear from the God of your ancestors for your entire lifetime when your parents never heard, and their parents never heard? Few things are worth waiting a lifetime for. I have lost hope for things I have had to wait a matter of months for! What a gift hope is.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

— Luke 2:25-38

Simeon did not lose hope! He saw the future hope of the world in that baby boy's face and the Spirit whispers the same hope to our hearts today. Can you hear Him?

This hope we have in Christ, it anchors the soul. It changes everything. Let it change our hearts today.